title: [Role of zinc and other metals in the biological activity of the serum thymic factor (thymulin)].
abstract: The serum thymic factor (FTS) used in synthetic or natural form, loses its biological activity after passage on a chelating agent, Chelex 100. Such activity is recovered after addition of zinc and, to a lesser degree, of certain other metals. FTS activation is secondary to zinc binding to the peptide. These results indicate the existence of two FTS forms: the first one, deprived of zinc and biologically inactive, the second one containing zinc and biologically active, for which we purpose to coin the name of thymulin.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008670:Metals / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011485:Protein Binding; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D008670:Metals; D013951:Thymus Hormones; D013935:Thymic Factor, Circulating; D015032:Zinc
vernacular_title: Role du zinc et d'autres métaux dans l'activité biologique du FTS (thymuline).